Chapters 77 & 78

 

Chapter 77: Transitions

 

Cassidy and Jerry sit at the table after breakfast. Jerry wipes his mouth with a cloth napkin dropping it on his plate and shoving himself away from the table. "Okay, out with it, Luv. What's this big secret you were hinting about earlier?"

Steeling herself to tell him the truth, Cassidy stares at the floor. She's been trying to find an easy way to tell him, but there isn't one. After a moment she takes his hand and leads him to the couch. She sits facing him, holding one of his hands in both of hers. "This is the hardest thing I've ever had to do."

Jerry looks at her with all the love that he has for her. "There isn't anything you can tell me that I won't understand. You know that, darlin'. I love you."

Cassidy blinks back tears. "I think this might be the one thing you won't understand. But before I tell you, I want you to know how much I love you." She looks at him intensely, willing him to see the love she has for him. "No matter what, you have to believe that. I know with all my heart that I will always love you. Always."

Jerry looks confused and a little alarmed. "Now you've got me worried. Just tell me before I start making things up."

"There's no easy way to say this, so I'll just blurt it out..." Cassidy kisses his hand lovingly before continuing. "I'm related to the Cassadines."

Jerry looks at her in astonishment. "What? This has got to be some sort of joke!"

Cassidy shakes her head. "No... no joke. It's the truth. My mother Melanie was Helena Cassadine's sister."

"So you must have just found out...?" Jerry tries to make sense out of it. "That must have come as quite a shock."

She shakes her head again. "No, you don't understand. I've always known I'm related to the Cassadines. In fact, they are the reason I joined the WSB."

Jerry just stares at her and then at the floor, unable to comprehend the news. Cassidy a Cassadine? A double agent? A traitor? The betrayal is incomprehensible.

Cassidy begins to babble, trying to fill the uncomfortable silence with an explanation, hoping against hope that he won't hate her. "You see, when I was a little girl, my dad had to hide me from my mother and Helena. It's a long story but he had to hide me to save my life.. both our lives. Stefan Cassadine helped us elude the men sent after us. In exchange, we agreed to work for him. When the time came, I joined the WSB because he wanted a person on the inside to inform him of the investigation into Victor and Helena. I'm so sorry, Jerry. I never wanted to betray you. " She looks at Jerry who is still staring at the floor. "Jerry? Say something."

For a long time, Jerry doesn't respond. He continues to stare at the floor as if it's the most fascinating thing in the world. "So why are you telling me now?" He asks in a low dead voice. "Obviously someone blew your cover."

Cassidy gulps, the deadness in his voice scaring her. "Yes, Lucky Spencer did. He found out that Melanie was Helena's sister. That's what my dad's phone call was about. And I knew I had to tell you before you found out for yourself."

"How brave and noble of you," Jerry replies with cold sarcasm. "So you sold out the WSB and me to Stefan Cassadine... without a second thought?"

Cassidy shakes her head vehemently. "No! It wasn't like that. I didn't sell you out. He doesn't know you're with the WSB... and I didn't tell Stefan anything that didn't have anything to do with the Cassadines."

"That's sure loyal of you, when every assignment you've had since the beginning was a Cassadine assignment." Jerry rolls his eyes in derision. "Considering everything you've said to me since the day we met is a lie, why should I believe you when you say you haven't sold me out? You'll have to excuse me if I'm a bit skeptical."

"I didn't!" Cassidy implores. "I swear to you, Jerry. I love you. I wouldn't do that."

"Was bedding me and making me fall in love with you part of your job for Stefan?" Jerry looks at her in disgust. "A nice touch to get me besotted with you."

"No! I would NEVER do that, my feelings for you are real!" Cassidy's eyes fill with tears. "I hated keeping this secret from you. I was afraid if I told you, I'd lose you." She reaches her hand out to touch his shoulder. He wrenches away angrily.

"DON'T touch me!" Jerry gets up and starts to pace. "You were right to be afraid, you have lost me. I will never understand this... this betrayal. You not only betrayed the WSB, you betrayed me."

"I'm so.. sorry," Cassidy says brokenly, tears streaming down her face. "I never meant to hurt you."

"You did hurt me, Cassidy, more than you'll ever know. I can't even stand to look at you anymore, I honestly don't know who you are. I'm leaving before I do something I'll regret. Have you and yourself out of here in an hour." Jerry strides to the door. "Oh, and you can expect me to tell the WSB everything."

The door to the penthouse slams shut with a loud thud. Cassidy collapses on the couch in sobs.





Laura has changed and is straightening up the living room when Lucky arrives home. "Hi, Mom."

"Good morning, Lucky," She says a little too brightly, hoping to cover her nervousness. "I'm just about to go meet Lulu and your grandparents for an early lunch. You want to join us?"

"Nah, Mom. I'm beat." Luck flops on the couch. "I'm sorry I never made it home last night. Some major things happened and I ended up falling asleep on the couch at the club."

Laura, who is now standing behind the couch out of Lucky's eyesight, sags with relief. "Can I get you anything? Did you have breakfast?"

"Thanks, Mom. But I'm not hungry. Not now anyway." Lucky closes his eyes. "Thanks for not giving me a hard time about not coming home last night."

Laura smiles down at him and tousles his hair affectionately."I'm sure you had a good reason, honey. I have to get going. You sure you don't want to come?"

Lucky shakes he head and opens his eyes to smile back at her. "No thanks. When will you be back? I need to talk to you."

Laura retrieves her purse from the coat closet. "Probably not till dinner time. Mother wants to take Lulu to the zoo after dinner and I'm tagging along. I think Lulu needs the extra attention after the big 'to do' over Nikolas' wedding."

Lucky gets off the couch to give his mother a hug. "Have fun. Thanks for always being there for Lulu and me. I know I don't say it enough, but I think you're the best."

Laura's eyes fill with guilty tears. "Thank you. You have no idea how wonderful it is to hear. Get some rest. I love you, honey."




An hour later, a showered and dressed Lucky answers the doorbell. He does a double take when he sees Emily on the doorstep. "Emily! Come on in. Did you just come from the mansion?"

"No, I just came from an AA meeting." She answers as she walks in. "Monica and Alan got in a huge fight after you left and I couldn't stand to listen to it. I had to see you. Will you hold me?"

Lucky quickly pulls her into his arms. "You bet. God, Em, they were so mad. I didn't think they'd let you see me again." He kisses her hair softly.

Emily winds her arms and his waist and holds on for dear life. "I don't want to talk about my parents. I just want to forget about everything else but us."

Lucky pulls away slightly to kiss her on the mouth. "I was so worried about you. You're okay?"

"I am now." Emily kisses him back passionately, deepening the kiss and winding her arms around his neck. After a few moments she breaks away. "Is anyone else here?"

"Nope. We have the house to ourselves for the rest of the day." Lucky's index finger traces an intricate pattern along her neckline causing her to gasp with pleasure. Eventually his finger comes to a rest on the top button of her silk blouse. "You are so beautiful. Do you have any idea how much I want you?"

"As much as I want you." Emily gazes at his parted lips as she grazes them with her finger tips. "I love the way you kiss me, the way you make me feel when you touch me. Make love to me, Lucky."

With a sharp intake of breath, he slowly unbuttons her blouse. He plants a small kiss on her skin beneath each button, causing her to arch her back. She threads her fingers through his hair. After the blouse is unbuttoned he unfastens her bra. "Are you sure, Em?" He asks breathlessly.

"As sure as I've ever been about anything." She removes his tee shirt, trailing kisses along his neck while her hands explore his muscled chest and back. She smiles when she hears him moan in response.

He draws her mouth up to his for a drugging kiss, steadying her when she sways against him. He breaks away for a second. "C'mon, let's go upstairs before I lose the little control I have left and make love to you on the floor."

Wordlessly she follows him up to his bedroom. He quickly clears his bed, throwing the dirty clothes into the corner of his room. He lowers her to the bed slowly, his hands caressing shoulders as he removes her shirt. "You are so beautiful."

Emily looks at the floor in embarrassment. "Lucky... I have something I need to tell you." She gulps nervously. "I'm ... I'm a virgin."

Lucky sits down next to her, lifting her chin to look into her eyes lovingly. "I know. I want to make this special for you... for both of us. You mean so much to me." He kisses her eyelids, her nose, her cheeks. Showing her love in every touch.



At her penthouse, Alexis sits on the couch reading the newspaper as she drinks a glass of milk. She looks up when she hears keys in lock and calls out. "It's open!"

Cassidy comes stumbling through the door, laden with luggage. "Is it okay if I stay with you again?" She asks in a quivering voice.

Alexis takes one look at Cassidy's red puffy eyes and runs to hug her. "Honey, What happened?!"

Cassidy breaks down into tears again. "I lost him, Alexis. I think I've lost Jerry for good!"

 

Chapter 78: Ladies In Waiting

 

Alexis sits facing Cassidy on the couch, holding a box of Kleenex in her lap as a tearful Cassidy pours out her story. She hands Cassidy tissue after tissue.

"So that's the whole sorry story. I lose the man I love and a job I love all in one day, and it's my own damn fault. What am I going to do now?" Cassidy blows her nose. "I'm so pitiful."

"No you're not, honey. You're upset and you have every reason to be." Alexis rubs Cassidy's arm comfortingly. "You can stay here for as long as you like."

Cassidy looks at her gratefully. "Thanks. You might change your mind when I'm constantly underfoot because I don't have a job."

"Even if you lose your job with the WSB, you'll still have the job at Cassadine Inc. Stefan would never fire you, he values your skills too much."

Cassidy nods. "You're right. I'm just feeling hopeless right now.... What would you do, Alexis? In my situation?"

Alexis smiles at her indulgently. "I'd probably cry a lot."

"No.. I mean about Jerry. I can't just let him go out of my life without a fight. I love him so much. Maybe I should go over there now..." Cassidy tries to get up but Alexis stops her.

"I know you do, honey, but he needs some time to cool off." Alexis pulls a stray lock of hair off of Cassidy's face. "You need time too. You're too upset to make any your case. You both need to clear your heads before you talk again."

Cassidy remembers Jerry's look of disgust and starts to cry again. "What if he never forgives me? What am I going to do?"

Alexis lifts Cassidy's trembling chin and forces her to look into her eyes. "You will be okay, I promise you. You many not feel like it right now, but you are a survivor-- Like me, like Mike, and like Stefan. And we'll help you through this."

Cassidy feels Alexis' strength and draws on it to pull herself together. "Thanks for being here, Alexis. I needed you to tell me that."

"He's your first love, isn't he?" Alexis asks.

"Yes, I've been infatuated before, but this is different. I can actually see us grow old together.. raising a family." Cassidy sighs. "He's the love of my life."



At the Port Charles zoo, Laura and Lesley sit on a nearby bench and watch Hans and Lulu play with the animals in the petting zoo. Noticing a haunted look in Laura's eyes that wasn't there before, Lesley gives her a knowing look. "Okay, honey. Tell me what's wrong."

Laura gives her a nervous smile. "Nothing's going on, Mama. I just don't feel like talking."

Lesley shakes her head in disbelief. "I know you better than that, Laura. Something's been bothering you all morning. Did something happen after the wedding?"

Laura feels her cheeks get hot and she avoids eye contact with her mother. "No, nothing happened. I guess I'm still getting used to the idea that Nikolas is married. I still think of him as a boy, not a grown man."

Lesley purses her lips, unconvinced. "I don't think that's it, honey. It's like something's haunting you... yesterday you were at peace, and now you're not."

Laura looks at the ground guiltily, having run through her short list of excuses. How can she explain to her mother that she slept with Stefan and betrayed Luke's memory? All she wants to do is forget it ever happened.

Lesley sees the war going on inside Laura and relents. "I can see you don't want to talk about it. I'll let it go for now, but we have to talk about it sometime."



After making love, Emily and Lucky are intertwined in each other's arms. Lying with her head on his chest, Emily smiles blissfully as one of her hands roams his chest lazily. "Mmmmm..." She murmurs. "I could definitely get used to this."

Lucky gives a deep throaty laugh. "Me too." With a feather like touch, he traces a line from the curve of her hip to her waist, causing her to shiver. "I love touching you, having you in my arms... making love to you."

A comfortable silence descends as they enjoy the novelty of lying together nude. Lucky crooks a finger under her chin lifting her mouth to his for a leisurely kiss. Emily sighs as her head comes to rest on his chest again. "I've come to a decision."

"Really? I hope it has to do with us making love as often as possible."

"Indirectly yes, but it's a more general decision." Emily kisses his chin. "I've decided to move out of the mansion as soon as I can swing it on my own."

Lucky looks surprised. "Isn't that a bit rash? You're only seventeen and you have no money of your own. I know they were really mad this morning, but they'll come around. They always do."

"Whether they do or not isn't important. If I stay at the mansion much longer I'm going to lose myself. I won't let myself be destroyed like AJ. It's now or never."

Lucky sees the determined set of Emily's mouth and he knows she's serious. "Then you're going to need a plan. A safe place to live and a decent paying job. Once you have enough money for first month's rent and a deposit, you'll be all set."

"I already have a small bank account..I've been saving my allowance for a rainy day," Emily says thoughtfully. "I guess my rainy day just came."

"How much do you have?" Lucky asks.

"A couple thousand." She blushes. "Monica and Alan have been pretty generous, guilt money I think."

Lucky thinks for a minute. "Leave the money where it is, you always want to have an emergency stash just in case. That's what my dad always said."

"I suppose I'll go to the mall and apply for a job tomorrow," Emily adds.

Lucky's eyes light up as an idea occurs to him. "I have a better idea. We'll go see my cousin Carly tomorrow, or better yet, we can give her a call later. Last I heard from Aunt Bobbie, Carly was looking for some reliable help. She might even have a room for you to rent above Kelly's."

"There's one thing, though." Emily looks at him sadly "Alan and Monica have forbidden me to see you, and considering what I plan to do, I probably shouldn't fight them."

Lucky shrugs. "Yeah, good idea. We don't want to give them any reason to think you can't be responsible. We'll just keep a low profile. You're still in summer classes at PCU, right? We'll just meet on campus."

"Yeah, that'll work," Emily replies. "You really think Carly would give me a job?"

Lucky kisses her soundly on the mouth. "I know she will. She's Jason's friend as well as my cousin. She'll be thrilled to have someone she trusts working at the diner."

Emily smiles happily. "I can really see this happening! It's so exciting, just thinking about it."

Out of nowhere Lucky's stomach growls loudly with hunger They both laugh. "Let's go downstairs and raid the refrigerator." Lucky throws a large tee shirt at Emily while he dresses.



A couple hours later, Lucky and Emily enter Kelly's. The dinner rush is early because it's Sunday. It's obvious that Carly is short handed as she rushes serve her customers, several of which are complaining about slow service. She spies Lucky and calls him over. "Lucky! Help me out here." She points to the table at the door. "Could you take their order? I'll be right back!" She high tails it back to the kitchen.

Lucky smiles expectantly at Emily. "Here's your chance. I'll go sweet talk Carly while you show her you're indispensable."

Emily greets the impatient customers cheerfully. "Sorry to keep you waiting. What can I get you today?"

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Lucky helps Carly make up small dinner salads. "How's it going, Carly?"

"Better now that you and Emily are here to help." Carly blow a stray strand of hair out of her face. "College students are so unreliable on the weekends. What I wouldn't do to have someone I could count on."

"I've got just the person, cuz," Lucky replies just as Emily comes back to the kitchen with the order. Lucky puts his arm around Emily's shoulder. "Carly, meet your newest employee. Guaranteed to be reliable."

Carly looks amazed. "Really? You'd work for me, Em? The pay is decent, but why would you want to work here?"

"I'm planning on moving out of the mansion as soon as I have enough money for a room." Emily answers.

"You still have a room available, Carly?" Lucky asks.

"Yeah, I have a room available but I don't know about renting it to you, Emily." Carly looks torn. "You're underage and Alan's the chief of staff. He could end my career if he got mad enough. It's one thing to give you a job...."

Just then an angry customer calls out. "Hey! Can someone PLEASE take my order? I've been waiting for ten minutes!"

Lucky pushes Emily out the door then turns to face Carly who's busily arranging the salad on the plates. "C'mon, Carly. You know what's it's like to start from scratch."

Carly shakes her head. "I want to help, Lucky, really I do. But you know how protective Alan is of Emily, he'd be so angry at me. What's so bad about her living at the Quartermaines anyway? I'd die to live there! She can have anything she wants."

"She's feeling smothered." Lucky picks up a couple of the salad plates and follows Carly into the dining area. After the plates are served, he resumes the conversation. "She's leaving the Q's one way or another. Think of how my dad helped you when nobody else would. Do it for him... do it for me. C'mon, cuz. For old times sake." Lucky give her one of his pleading looks.

Carly throws her hands up in exasperation. "Fine you win. I can't say no when you put it like that. I sure hope I don't lose my job because of it."

Lucky gives her a winning smile. "If the Q's give you a problem, I'll set 'em straight."

"Right." Carly gives him a dubious look as she clears one of the dirty tables. "And how do you propose to do that, cowboy?"

Lucky grins at her use of his old nickname. "I'll use that famous Spencer charm."